Nocturne

=//Nocturne,// Eugene O'Neill (1912)=

The sunset gun booms out in hollow roar Night breathes upon the waters of the bay The river lies, a symphony in grey, Melting in shadow on the further shore.

A sullen coal barge tugs its anchor chain A shadow sinister, with one faint light Flickering wanly in the dim twilight, It lies upon the harbor like a stain.

Silence. Then through the stillness rings The fretful echo of a seagull's scream, As if one cried who sees within a dream Deep rooted sorrow in the heart of things.

The cry that Sorrow knows and would complain And impotently struggle to express -- Some secret shame, some hidden bitterness -- Yet evermore must sing the same refrain.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence once more. The air seems in a swoon <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Beneath the heavens' thousand opening eyes <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">While from the far horizon's edge arise <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The first faint silvery tresses of the moon.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Accessed on 30th October 2011 on <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">http://www.poetry-archive.com/o/nocturne.html